Cats

The start of the school year is upon us, and soon will come field trips, school plays, and group projects. Perhaps there’s another highlight that could make this year even more special: pets in the classroom.  From therapy dogs and cats to smaller companions like rabbits and guinea pigs, animals can offer a wealth of benefits for students.

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Who’s the queen (or king) of the castle? Well, your kitty, of course. Or at least she will be after you build her a royal palace to rule over her sprawling indoor empire. It’s time to show off your cat craft skills by turning an ordinary Chewy box into something majestic! Here’s the regal blueprint for this DIY cat house box craft.

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With huge, round eyes and tiny ears that are always folded forward, giving the head an overall rounded appearance, Fisher warns that Scottish Fold owners might think they’re looking at an owl (an adorable one, albeit) and not an actual cat.,All cat breeds are special in their own unique way. But there are certain breeds that really set the bar when it comes to uncommon looks and amazing features. “Cat breeds run the gamut in looks — from those that are an ‘acquired taste’ to those easily imagined the laps of queens,” says Vickie Fisher, immediate past president of The International Cat Association (TICA). “Ditto for personalities, which run from fun-loving and active to quiet and regal.” Whatever your preference, there’s bound to be a breed on this list that will catch your eye. Here are some unique-looking cat breeds, along with some of the qualities that make them so compelling.

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If your cat won’t stop scratching, you might immediately suspect fleas. While it’s true that these little buggers are one of the most common reasons for an itchy cat, there are several other possible causes of itching—medically referred to as pruritus. To help you narrow it down, we talked to three vet experts about why your cat might be scratching so much and what you can do about it.

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Ever wonder why your cat sleeps all day but suddenly finds your toes, ears, and every toy in the house to be the most amusing thing ever as soon as you are ready to go to bed? Or do you find yourself sleeping with one eye open to because your cat pounces on anything moving under the covers? Or how about getting your ankles chased if you get up at night?  If you’re wondering why your cat wakes you up at night and how to get your cat on the same sleep schedule as you, you’re not alone. Why Your Cat Won’t Let You Sleep at Night Often, it seems like cats are just out of sync with our wake/sleep cycles—and indeed, this is the case. By nature, humans are diurnal, which means we are awake during the day and asleep at night. You may think that cats must be nocturnal, but that isn’t exactly the case. Cats are what is known as crepuscular. Crepuscular animals tend to be most active during the late evenings and early mornings—so just as we are winding down, they are winding up. This is the peak time that cats prefer to play, hunt, and do all their basic activities. In the wild, this is also the time when many of their prey animals (such as rodents) are waking up and starting to move around, so it is the perfect time for a predator (like your cat) to be up and hunting. Many domesticated cats have retained these behaviors. As a rule, cats will sleep 18 hours per day, spread over a series of naps that average 78 minutes each. They sleep during the day as well as in the middle of the night, only to get up and become active right when we are heading to bed, and again shortly before we want to get up. This can be a definite clash!  So how can you get your cat on a more compatible schedule so that you can get some sleep?